Animal Names for Babies

Baran is barely known in the US -- unless it's mistaken for royal moniker and Trump son name Baron -- but it might make a perfect choice for a boy born under the sign of Aries.

Projects an air of power and speed.

A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.

A Navajo nature name with a cool, fresh sound.

Yes, nature lovers are starting to name their children after all forms of life, including fish, but consider carefully before you cast your line into these tease-infested waters.

Seen as a name for this first time in the anime Sailor Moon.

This is an attractive Celtic mythological name, popular in Wales and a cousin of the better known Bronwyn. In Welsh mythology, Branwen was turned into a bird.

Perky Cherokee boy name with a great meaning. Foxes symbolize cleverness and playfulness in Cherokee culture.

A bird name from the same Latin root as Aurelia, Oriole is extremely rare as a name: No babies were given the name in the US in 2022. But most people are aware of the Oriole bird, which makes this name uncommon yet possible.

A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.

Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.

Also spelled Selqet, Serket and Serqet, Selket was the Ancient Egyptian goddess of the scorpions and of magic. She was a helpful goddess and protected souls on their journey to the afterlife. She is also associated with childbirth (potentially making her a great choice for the daughter of a midwife or obstetrician). Her connection to scorpions is a symbol of her power and makes her a good namesake for a child born under the zodiac sign of Scorpio.

High-collared and straightlaced, with the deadly "Ox" nickname.

If Abigail's too popular and Tabitha is too...."Bewitched."

Love the name wren but need something not quite so trendy? Consider Jedda. Jedda is derived from the word 'djida' meaning "wren" in the language of the Noongar people of Western Australia. Jedda was also the name of the eponymous heroine of the film "Jedda", which was one of the first Australian films to be shot in color and was the first to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival (it was nominated for the Palme d'Or). The perfect name for nature enthusiasts and film buffs alike.

This animal-themed name is among the most popular for girls in contemporary Israel. Parents who want to move beyond the mega-popular Aliyah and sisters might want to consider Ayala. The male form is Ayal.

The name of a maiden of King Arthur's court in some accounts. It is a contraction of Welsh "ty" (thy) + Eleri.

Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.

A unisex name of Sanskrit origin, this name — along with its other forms, Ashwin and Ashwina — are used in many languages across the Indian subcontinent. It is associated with the Ashvins, the twin Hindu gods of sunrise and sunset, and Ashvini, the first star that appears in the sky and makes up part of the Aries constellation.

Capella, the eleventh brightest star in the sky, carries much mythological and astrological significance. In Roman mythology, Capella represented the goat that suckled Jupiter, whose horn became the Cornucopia or horn of plenty. In Hindu mythology, Capella is called the heart of Brahma, while English legend calls it the shepherd's star.